IEF: TSMC pushes innovation for recovery

SEVILLE, Spain – Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. is now expecting just 1 percent growth in the global semiconductor market in 2011 according to Maria Marced, president of TSMC Europe speaking at the International Electronics Forum being held here.

Despite the uncertainty engendered by global economic conditions Marced's argument was that the industry as a whole must innovate to get out of the current slow down and that TSMC would be taking this advice with 20-nm process technology being introduced in "risk production" in the third quarter of 2012.

With just two variants the 20-nm process node will be simpler than 28-nm, where TSMC has four processes. The 20G process is for high performance applications and the SOC version for low stand-by and operating power for mobile applications. TSMC will introduce the FinFET in the company's 14-nm node.

Other innovations coming from TSMC will include the introduction 40-nm embedded flash capability and the transition of BCD power semiconductors from 0.25-micron to 0.13-micron by the end of 2011.

In addition to technology TSMC is planning to double manufacturing capacity over the next fiver years, Marced said. Also the introduction of 450-mm diameter wafers which the company plans to have in a pilot mode in its Fab 12 (Hsinchu, Taiwan) in the time period 2013 to 2014 and to be in volume in Fab 15 (Taichung, Taiwan) in 2015 or 2016.